


Draco Malfoy and the Half-Blood Prince

by Indigospellbound



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Order Member Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26245606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indigospellbound/pseuds/Indigospellbound
Summary: When Draco Malfoy is given a task my Voldemort that he cannot complete his only option are the run to the last people who would ever help him. His enemies become his family and one girl he couldn't imagine living with becomes the one he can't live without.
Relationships: Dean Thomas/Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy/Daphne Greengrass, Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter/Katie Bell, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	1. Daylight

It was the last place Draco Malfoy ever expected to be standing, at the front door of the Burrow, a place inhabited by his only chance, and his worst enemy, the Weasley Family. He took one last deep breath before knocking on the weather worn front door. A group of chickens clucked as they crossed the driveway in the morning twilight. It took all night and a lot of courage to make it to this spot and Draco had to remind himself that this was the right thing to do at every step along the way. After a bit of silence he knocked again. Still silence. It is early he thought maybe I should come back another time… like never.

Shocking him out of his daze the door opened to reveal a very sleepy flaming haired boy about Draco's age rubbing the last bit of sleep out of his eyes, still in his pajamas. On the sight of Draco his brown eyes widened and he slammed the door in his face. Well that went better than expected thought Draco to himself. He was honestly surprised the boy didn't hit him.

"George! Take a look! Malfoy's outside the house." Ron bellowed the sound echoing through the house. A faint sound of laughter came from deeper inside.

"Yeah right, Bleeding Malfoy's at the door, you can't fool me like that." The door opened again to a slightly shorter yet older looking young man. Then just as it was before the door slammed shut. Draco shrugged and was just about to turn and take his chances with the woods when he heard the voice of a woman.

"What is all this ruckus, your father has been up half the night then I hear yelling and doors banging about. It's a miracle you don't wake up all of England!" Well so much for being quiet. He heard more footsteps as she, presumably, descended the stairs.

"Malfoy's outside." responded one of the boys. The door cracked open and Draco saw the woman's eyes watching him through the slot.

"Are you alone?" She whispered trying to see around him.

"As far as I know I am." He responded honestly. The door opened the rest of the way to reveal a middle-aged witch with tiredness covering her kind face in a thread bare pink robe accompanied by a pair or worn pink slipper. She looked at Draco circumspectly.

"Well come on in." She stepped aside and ushered him inside, taking one last look outside before closing the door behind him. "ARTHUR." She called up the stairs. He walked past her and stood awkwardly in the Weasley's entryway, which was little more than a coat hanger at the foot of the stairs. Ron and George were studying him, arms crossed, from the nearby living room.

"Go ahead and have a seat. I'll put on some tea." Mrs. Weasley walked into the kitchen. "George, Ron, come with me and help get breakfast started." The two boys begrudgingly followed their mother into the kitchen but not before leaving Draco with one last unfriendly glance.

Draco took a seat on the old grey couch the springs poked at him uncomfortably but he knew he was in no place to complain. A few moments later with tea in hand a tired looking Arthur Weasley sat in the mismatched armchair across from Draco, offering him a cup of his own. "So, what brings you here?" He asked an awkward tension hanging in the air, despite Arthur's friendly smile. Draco took a moment to remember what his father said about how the Weasleys would allow a wolf into their home if it was disguised as a bunny rabbit.

"The Da-" he cleared his throat and began the speech he had been preparing for days. "I mean you-know-who is rumored to give me a task, one that I simply cannot complete." He lost a little more of his gumption with every word. "I've left home, and I don't know where else to turn. You and your family are the only members of the order that I knew I could find." Arthur's eyes narrowed in thought of his family being so easy to find. "I understand if you don't believe me. I wouldn't believe me if I were you.” he added quickly. “Please understand that I wouldn't come here like this if I knew another way. I'm not asking to join you or be welcomed as a member of your family all I want is protection. At least long enough until I can think of another course of action." Arthur was silent for a long time deep in thought. Draco looked around the room at the various photos and knickknacks adorning the walls and shelves. "Uh, Never mind I'll just leave." He got up and was almost out of the living room when Arthur's voice stopped him.

"Well, I will be owling Dumbledore, and he will want to talk to you, but until then you are welcome to stay here." Draco could have died right on the spot from shock. "All I ask is that you not attempt to contact anyone, best not leave any chances of anyone discovering your whereabouts, both for your safety and that of my family."

"I would think nothing less. Thank you sir, for your kindness." Both men rose and shook hands. Mr. Weasley led Draco upstairs to a now spare bedroom.

"You can stay in Percy's room; he's not around much anymore so I don't think he will mind." Draco noticed a slight strain of pain in Mr. Weasley's voice in regards to his estranged son but snapped back to his cheerful self quickly. "Make yourself at home. I'm sure Molly is already hard at work on breakfast." He left Draco with one last friendly smile and descended the stairs.

Draco placed his rucksack on the bed and sat down on to survey the room. It was very neat and bare. The bed where Draco sat was at the far end of the room, against the wall, right by the door. Near the center under a window was a desk with a quill, ink, a stacked pile of parchment, and a boy with bright red curly hair and horn-rimmed glasses shaking hands with the minister of Magic on top. The desk chair was pushed in. The only thing occupying the floor was an old tattered rug and a thick layer of dust from neglect on top. The bed was perfectly made, not a wrinkle in it that Draco did not cause.

He glanced at the only thing occupying the walls, a red and gold clock with the Gryffindor lion in it. The clock said it was only half past five in the morning; He lay back trying to see if he could get anything that resembled sleep in the unfamiliar house. A rooster crowed every few minutes to signify the beginning of the day. So Draco looked up at the ceiling and tried to imagine figures in the paint marks. Yet all he saw was the cold face of Voldemort, at least what he thought he looked like having never met him in person, the stern face of his father scolding him, or his mother's sad eyes.

He knew that she would be near frantic with worry upon finding his bed empty later this morning but he also knew that she would eventually understand why he had to leave, and why he couldn't tell her. He just hoped he would get that chance to explain himself sooner rather than later. Leaving his mother was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He hoped that The Dark Lord would be merciful upon her, and not think it was her idea to send him away. Just then a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Breakfast." Ron said not waiting for Draco to open the door or to see if he was heard.

Draco waited for a few moments contemplating if he really should join them. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed kind enough yet he wasn't so sure about their children. The sound his stomach made decided for him. He put his brave face back on and walked down the stairs.

That morning Ginny Weasley made a resolution. She will never go downstairs in her pajamas ever again, even if it was only breakfast. She will wake up early and properly shower and dress each morning before joining her family. This will be the last time she will ever be caught off guard by an unexpected guest.

Ginny woke up to the smell of breakfast she got out of bed and descended the stairs still half asleep. She rubbed her eyes at the second to last step with a yawn, it was then that she realized her grave error. Sitting there at her breakfast table, at a seat right next to her dad sat Draco Malfoy. And there she was, Ginny Weasley, with her hair standing up in odd angles, wearing only an old quidditch shirt she stole from one of the twins, and a pair of pajama shorts.

At first Ginny thought she must be dreaming. There would never be an instance in which Draco Malfoy would be at her house. Then she remembered that if this really was a dream she would have showered first. Sure, she knew that classically Malfoy was a git who hated her friends and family, which did raised a question of why he was eating her mum's pancakes, but that didn't mean the he wasn't gorgeous or that she didn't mind him seeing her in her fresh from bed, un-showered glory. She glared at her brothers, was it really that hard to let me know that Draco Malfoy will be joining us for breakfast?

"'Morning Ginny." her mother called, Great. She thought. Thanks Mum, now I can't go back upstairs.

"'Morning Mum." She pretended to smile as he took a seat between Ron and Fred. Breakfast was uncomfortably silent; you'd think that with seven people there would be some conversation. Fred told a joke that everyone except for Mum found funny and things were starting to lighten up until…

"Ginny, you've been uncharacteristically quiet this morning." Said George locking eyes with Fred, which is never a good thing for Ginny's mental health. Even since he overheard her mentioning to Luna that Draco looked nice in his dress robes during the Yule ball neither of the twins had left her off the hook for even slightly fancying him. Ginny shoot him a look that asked him how much he valued his life and she went back to her pancakes.

"This is a great look for you Ginny." Fred added poking at her hair. You know what? If You-Know-Who walked in right now and killed them both she wouldn't even be sorry. "You should wear your hair like that more often."

"I mean, how do you get it to stick out like that? It must take you hours." Ron started snickering and Draco looked sheepishly at his food not sure how he should respond. Why not kill Ron too?

"Come on, what's your secret? And that outfit, what do they call it? pajchic." Ron added.

"Really Ron, Pajchic?" Fred asked.

"Yeah it's like pajama chic. Get it?" Sadly, she did.

"Best leave this to the pros." George cleared his throat. "Hey Ginny, do you remember the time when—"

"—Mum can I be excused." She said just in the nick of time. She had a feeling of where this was heading and she wasn't about to take the bait. Her mother nodded. "Nice try." She whispered to George as she took her empty plate into the kitchen.

She placed the plate into the sink and sighed looking out the window at the gnomes playing in the garden. She had a feeling what her mum had in mind for Ginny's afternoon activities. In a way she envied those gnomes they didn't have nearly as many problems as she. Taking one last glance towards the dining room she walked up the back stairs to her bedroom to put on the best outfit she had, without looking too planned of course.

Ginny went on to spend the greater part of her morning trying on every article of clothing she owned while consulting the latest issue of Witch Weekly for anything that her underage self could do to improve her appearance. Finally when she was satisfied she made her descent down the stairs.

"What are you all dressed up for?" Ron asked meeting her halfway down the stairs.

"I always dress like this." She retorted

"Harry's not here."

"So?" Ron shrugged and walked the rest of the way up the stairs. Ginny took a deep breath and took the bottom stair.

"Ginny." Her mother called. "Come help me in the in the kitchen." Ginny sighed as she made her way to the kitchen catching not even a glimpse of Draco in the living room. Seriously, what is the point of getting all dressed up if there is no one to see you? Not that she wanted to impress Draco but she wanted to show him that what she was wearing this morning wasn't her normal attire.

"Hermione should be arriving soon." Ginny said as she entered the kitchen.

"You will have plenty of time to catch up. The Order is coming over tonight for dinner and the garden needs degnoming, the flower beds need a good weeding, and the chickens need tending." Ginny walked to the counter and cut some vegetables for a salad.

"What do you think of Malfoy staying here?" Ginny asked keeping her eyes on the task at hand.

"Well, I never thought he would show up here but everyone deserves a chance, isn't that what Dumbledore believes." She placed some newly made sandwiches on a plate. "Are you ok with this? I know that you two haven't had the best of encounters at school."

"I agree with you, if Dumbledore thinks he deserves a chance then so do I."

"I'm talking about him living here. If you don't feel comfortable then I'm sure another member of the order would be happy to let him stay with them."

"I don't mind." She looked at her mom. "As far as I'm concerned he can stay as long as he wants. In fact I'd rather be him be here so I'm able to keep an eye on him." She placed her chopped vegetables in a bowl. There was a knock on the door.

"That must be Hermione." Ginny abandoned her salad and walked towards the door.

"Check before you open that door." Mrs. Weasley called after.

"Of course mum."

Ginny rolled her eyes and opened the door without looking revealing her brunette, bushy haired, friend Hermione Granger, behind her stood her nervous looking muggle parents. "Hello Hermione. It's nice to see you Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

"Hello Ginny," Said Mrs. Granger.

"Goodbye darling." Said Hermione's father placing a goodbye kiss on his daughter's cheek.

"See you at Christmas." Her mother gave her a hug. With a few more exchanges of I love you, I'll miss you, Yes I will, I'll remember. Hermione’s parents left. The girls dragged her trunk up the stairs and everything was going well until they reached Percy's room.

Draco Malfoy walked out of his new room and within half a second both stood on the landing wands drawn waiting for the other to make a move.

"Ginny what's a ferret doing in your house."

"How dare you call me that, you mudblood. I happen to be under the protection of The Order."

"Not yet you're not." Ginny scoffed, heaving the trunk up the last step.

"Tell me the truth before I hex you into oblivion. Normally I'm against animal cruelty but for this I'll make an exception."

"Very brave for an underage witch." He said through gritted teeth. "Careful Granger, your Gryffindor honor is showing. You mustn't forget – "

"I know your father is going to hear all about this. Give it a rest you two." Neither of them moved. 

"Come on Hermione, I'll explain everything in my room." She led her friend up the stairs while dragging the trunk. Hermione stayed as stiff as a statue. "I'm sure that if she could speak she'd say something along the lines of watch your back, sleep with one eye open, ect."

Once the girls left Draco chuckled despite himself and shook his head while descending the stairs.  
When the door to Ginny's clicked shut Hermione finally came to her senses. "What in the name of Merlin is Malfoy doing in your house?"

"Apparently he ran away and now wants to come live with us." Ginny said flatly, a little bit of humor showing in her face.

"And you're allowing this?"

"Well, it's not exactly my decision to make. I was asleep when he got here and I found out when I came downstairs to see him eating my mum's pancakes."

"You think he might come up here and murder us in our sleep or something?"

"I never thought about that. Cold blooded murder doesn't seem like his style. He strikes me as more of the torture then kill type." Ginny placed a finger on her chin. "But I don't think we need to worry about that. He doesn't have an audience here. Besides Hermione, there's seven of us and one of him."

"He could be trying to get close to us to hurt Harry."

"Maybe, maybe not, remember Sirius came from a bad family and he turned out good. I think everyone deserves a chance. The order is coming tonight, as far as I'm concerned they can figure it out." Hermione sat down on her cot, still uneasy but her mood did begin to thaw. "In case you're wondering, Ron's probably in his room. I'm sure he wouldn't mind some help plotting Malfoy's death."  
Hermione got up and walked to Ron's room while Ginny went down the stairs to get some lunch. Once she reached the bottom she remembered that she needed to avoid her mum when they were going to have company.

"Ginny, get Hermione and your brother and go degnome the garden." Ginny walked back up the stairs to get them.

"What are you three up to?" Draco asked when they reached the living room. He was bored out of his mind with only Percy's dull books to keep him busy.

"Degnoming the garden." Said Hermione.

"Can I help?"

"Uh sure." Ginny shrugged. "Come on." Draco followed them into the back garden.

"Have you ever degnomed a garden before?" Ginny asked him

"Of course not he has a whole fleet of house elves to do it for him." Ron scoffed getting to work.

"Uh, I haven't, no." Draco said shyly.

"Well, it's very simple." She walked him through the process.

"And you have to do this how often?"

"Daily." Said Ron. Draco scrunched his face.

"More like every two weeks." Ginny rolled her eyes

"Bloody feels like daily." Ron mumbled.

Everything was going great, they were joking, laughing. Ron was making the gnomes do odd things and Hermione was trying her hardest not to be amused. Draco's attempts at conversation fell on deaf ears besides Ginny. That was until Ron said.

"I forgot to get something upstairs." Ron said shifty eyed and walked into the house. Those still working shrugged and continued until Ron shouted "INCOMING" from an open window right about where Draco was working. He looked up to see a massive water balloon coming straight towards him. His attempts to brace himself were futile as it landed soaking him completely.

There was a stunned silence except for the maniacal laughs of Ron from above. Draco shook his hands trying to get the water out before running into the house trying to reach the safety of his bedroom before the tears began falling.  
Ginny found it hard to lose the shocked look on her face and it wasn't only due to the fact that the water made Draco's t-shirt completely see through and she was able to see the muscles of his back as he walked away.

Ginny didn't know how long she stood there staring at the now empty doorway. It could have been seconds or it could have been days. All she knew was that when time started up again it was like it flashed forward to make up for lost time, leaving her breathless.

"Ronald Weasley!" Her mum shouted causing Ginny to snap back into reality. Hermione ran past Ginny into the house to help Mrs. Weasley reprimand her son. Ginny shook her head and walked into the house in a daze. She knew what she had to do since no one else in the house was going to do it, but she wasn't sure if she could go through with it.

Draco reached his room and closed the door behind him, no this was Percy's room it would never be his and this place would never be his home. These people would always be his enemies and he would just have to come to terms with the fact that he would never have a family again. He sat down on the bed and was shocked to feel a few tears escape. The voice of his father rang through his head. "You're weak." He said. "You're pathetic, a disgrace." his voice filled with ice. "You will never be worthy of the Malfoy name, you're as bad as those blood-traitors."

A knock on the door broke his thoughts. He took a moment to compose himself before saying "Come in." He was in no condition to make the journey across the room to open the door himself. When the door opened and Ginny walked in with some towels like a peace offering. He took one and sat down on his bed to dry himself off. To both of their surprise she sat down next to him.

"Sorry Ron is such a git." she said in a tone she would use if she were talking to a dear friend. They both kept their gaze straight ahead.

"Well I can't say I'm surprised, I figured something like this would happen sooner or later. Although, he did show a little more creativity than I thought possible." He allowed the typical Malfoy smirk to grace his features and the two shared a laugh. He realized that every time he had smiled or laughed since coming here it was due to her. He wasn't sure what that meant but her company was welcome.

"I better warn you that Mum and Hermione gave him quite a talking to so expect a half-arsed apology sometime soon."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"So have you really left the death eaters?" She asked, shifting to face him.

"You Weasleys don't beat around the bush do you?" She blushed. "To answer your question, I guess you can't leave something you were never a part of." He ran his fingers through his damp blond hair.

"But you parents -" he cut her off

"- Are not me. Just because I'm a Malfoy doesn't mean I'm a death eater. I'm not defined by my family."

"That's surprisingly mature for you." He scoffed. "So does this mean you're going to join the order?"

"Well I'm not about to go skipping through a meadow hand in hand with Potter." She laughed at the image "but, I don't see myself against you." He paused. "Look, I still hate mudbloods, and I think your father's fascination with muggles is nauseating, but I'm not your enemy."

"Well," She looked into his eyes. "That's good because I'm not your enemy either. You will find that I too am not defined by my family." They sat in silence for a few minutes. "I should get back to that list of chores before mum realizes I'm gone." She got up to leave.

"Ginny," He called after her. "Thank you." She turned around to look back.

"You're welcome." She wasn't quite sure what he was thanking her for.

That afternoon found a rise in spirits as Ginny and Draco set up some tables and chairs for The Order outside while Ron weeded the garden alone. Draco took the opportunity to hum a tune that Ron knew all too well, Ginny chimed in, singing the words under her breath.

"He always lets the Quaffle in  
That's why Slytherins all sing:  
Weasley is our King."

"Malfoy," Harry said entering the garden causing the temperature in the air to cool. "Dumbledore would like a word."

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed as she ran across the garden and gave her friend a hug. Ron got up and gave his friend a proper greeting as well, while Draco slunk past the others into the house.

"Mr. Malfoy, come sit down." Said Dumbledore once Draco had reached the sitting room. It was odd seeing his headmaster outside of school, he looked exactly the same as he did in his office at Hogwarts but completely different at the same time, almost too big for the Weasley's small sitting room. Next to him sat his former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin.

"I have heard that you have decided not to accept initiation into the Death Eaters and wish to join the Order instead." Dumbledore started off the conversation.

"Yes sir." He said simply, not correcting Dumbledore on the finer details.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy why is that?"

"The Da-" He cleared his throat, "You-Know-who has given me a task, a task that I cannot complete."

"What is the task." Lupin asked

"I must." He began. "I have been asked to." He started again. "You-know-who wants me to uh-em-um... he wants me to kill you." He winced at the last part and looked up to gage the reaction of his teachers.

Dumbledore betrayed no look of surprise; it was almost as if he already knew. "And why would that be such a bad thing?"

"Because sir, it's murder, murder is wrong." He said as if it were a stupid question.

"So it is..." Dumbledore kept his words causing doubt in Draco's quick answer, eyes trained. "Now tell me, are you willing to die for me?"

Draco opened his mouth and closed it, he had never thought about it that way before. "It seems as if I've already made my choice."

"No, Mr. Malfoy, the choices we make are never final." The old man winked."I have been watching you for many years, I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before you chose your own path. I can tell, you have a good heart in there. My only wish is that you let it out. " 

Draco wasn't sure what Dumbledore meant with all of that. "This won't be easy, you have disobeyed Voldemort and there is no telling what the consequences will be. I am giving you one final chance. Do you want to go back to the way things were?"

Draco thought that over, he didn't have a bad life. He had popularity, money, status, his parents loved him. Yet if he went back home things wouldn't go back to the way they were last year. They would only get worse.

"I don't want to be a Death Eater." He said, somehow saying the words out loud made it real. It was true, ever since the Quidditch World Cup he had been dreading the moment when he'd be asked to join.

"In that case Mr. Malfoy, I extend to you my protection, in return for your loyalty to The Order."

"What would this loyalty entail?"

"That you do not reveal any sensitive information you may hear about The Order and its members to anyone outside of the organization. There is also something I need from you."

"I can agree to not sharing information, but I want to know what you need from me before I commit fully."

“Now, at the request of Arthur and Molly I would like to seal your agreement with an unbreakable vow first. The vow will be that you will not share the order’s secrets with anyone unless I tell you to. Also, that you will not share the details of the task that I will give you to anyone outside the Order, even if you choose not to complete it.” Draco was taken aback. He knew it couldn’t be that simple. Of course Dumbledore would want him to do something, something big. He would have to choose a side, forever.

“Professor, I don’t know if I can do that.” He saw Lupin stiffen beside Dumbledore. “I just came from a situation where I was forced to make promises and complete tasks. 24-hours ago I was on the path to become a death eater. Now you expect me to switch sides in a war just like that.” Draco shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t make a commitment like that.” He got up and left the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my new fanfic. I started outlining and writing this fanfic back in 2012. It's been written, rewritten, scrapped, posted, deleted, abandoned, and taken back up again a lot over the past 8 years. Please like and comment and let me know what you think. I will be posting new chapters every Tuesday. I'm also looking for a beta, so if you would like to help me with that please let me know. 
> 
> Kisses,  
> indigospellbound


	2. Diagon Alley

He was halfway down the path to the road when he heard someone shout his name. “Malfoy!”

“Draco!” He picked up the pace.

“Draco, stop!” he didn’t.

“Confundus.” She said. Draco tripped on a rock and hit the ground hard. He turned around and saw a woman with a shock of bright purple hair running to catch up with him. When she reached him she held out her hand to help him up. 

“Was that really necessary.” He brushed the dirt from his otherwise immaculate clothes. 

She shrugged. “I told you to stop.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m Nymphadora Tonks.” she searched for recognition in his eyes.

“Alright?” 

“My mother is or was Andromeda Black.”

“Oh so it looks like we’re cousins. Sorry I didn’t recognize you. My parents don’t have a habit of inviting blood-traitors ‘round for christmas.” He snapped. Still annoyed at her for hexing him. “I’ll be going now.”

Tonks rolled her eyes. “Draco you’re making a mistake.”

“The only mistake I made was coming here.” 

“Where are you going now? Back to Malfoy Manor?”

He hadn’t really thought of it. Maybe he’d go try to stay with Blaise. The Zabinis managed to stay out of this mess the last time, maybe he can stay out of it with them this time. “That’s not your concern. I’m a Malfoy, I can’t just drop everything and join the side in a war that hates my family.”

“My mother was a Black. The Weasleys are really good people, if you show them that you want to change they will accept you and love you as their own.”

That’s just it, he didn’t want to change. He didn’t want to become a murderer for the Dark Lord and he wasn’t about to risk becoming one for the Order. “I’m not about to sit here while another power hungry wizard tries to use me to do his bidding. I’d rather take my chances elsewhere and stay out of this whole mess.”

“You don’t get it, you’re already in this mess. If you-know-who wants you to do his bidding he’s not going to stop just because you want to ‘stay out of it’. Sooner or later he’s going to catch up with you.”

Draco opened his mouth to speak but closed it. She was right, he was already in this, he was in this since before he was even born. 

“Dumbledore’s not like him. Comeback inside and you’ll see. The choice is up to you, but know that if you leave now you're walking right back to where he wants you.” She left Draco alone with his thoughts.

When Dumbledore, Lupin, and her father came into the garden Ginny was surprised to find that Draco wasn’t with them. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Even after all that talk about changing sides, and morals. Once Draco realized that this was it, he actually had to work for the protection he wanted, he would leave, just like that. 

Tonks quickly walked in behind the men and everyone sat down at the table. Mrs. Weasley waved her wand and a bunch of twinkly lights turned on in a canopy over the dinner table. Filling the garden with a warm glow in the evening twilight. Everyone tucked into a meal filled with Harry’s favorite foods and the atmosphere lifted considerably. Ginny couldn’t help but sneak glances at the garden door throughout dinner, hoping in spite of herself, that a certain slytherin might change his mind.

Dinner had almost concluded when it happened. The table went silent and everyone turned to see Draco Malfoy at the door to the garden. “Professor, a word.” He said.

Dumbledore nodded and followed Draco into the house with Lupin in tow. 

Dumbledore and Lupin took their previous positions while Draco paced the small room.

“I have a few questions about this task you would like me to perform before I commit to anything.” Dumbledore nodded.

“Professor we can’t just-” Lupin began.

“- Remus it is only fair that Mr. Malfoy has all the facts before he makes any commitments. After all an unbreakable vow is unbreakable” Lupin fell silent.

“I want some guarantees really.” He began nervously. “I want a guarantee that I won’t have to harm my family in any way.”

“I can promise you. The task I have in mind for you will involve your family; but I can guarantee that I will not ask you to harm them. However, if this mission fails or does not go according to plan, I cannot make any promises for Voldemort.” Draco winced at the name. 

“I want a guarantee that I won’t have to murder or torture anyone.”

“That I can promise you. I am not in the business of murdering or torturing.”

Draco looked at his headmaster. If Professor Dumbledore was insulted by Draco’s insinuation, he showed no sign. 

“One last thing.” Draco took a deep breath. “I want you to promise me that you’ll do what you can to keep my mother safe. She’s a proud woman, she won’t voluntarily accept help or join the Order but please, do what you can to keep her safe.” 

“I promise.” 

Draco knelt down on the floor. Dumbledore did the same and took Draco’s hand in his own. “Mr. Malfoy are you sure?” Draco nodded. “Remus will you?” Lupin nodded and took out his wand and pressed it to Draco and Dumbledore’s joined hands

“Draco Malfoy do you vow not to reveal any sensitive information about the Order or it’s members to anyone outside of the society?” Lupin said.

“I do.” a ring of fire came from Lupin’s wand and Draco tried not to wince as his promises seemed to burn into his skin. 

“Do you vow to protect the Weasley family from harm to the best of your abilities?” 

“I do.” another ring came from Lupin’s wand. 

“Do you vow to keep secret the details of the task Albus Dumbledore will ask you to perform?”

“I do.” a third ring came from Lupin’s wand.

“Do you vow to do what is in your power to protect Narcissa Malfoy?”

“I do.” Said Dumbledore, a fourth ring came from Lupin’s wand.

“ut non solvatur votum” All three men said in unison. Lupin lifted his wand and Draco stood up, trying not to rub his arm where it felt like he’d been burnt. 

"If you are to break this trust there will not be a second chance." Draco nodded. "Arthur, Draco Malfoy is to be under the protection of The Order."

Arthur Weasley looked as if he might protest; he nodded in understanding.

"Well, Draco what do you say we go get some cake?" Lupin said guiding Draco out to the garden. Draco followed Lupin but couldn’t help but feel like he may have made a horrible mistake.  
Ginny watched as the men walked back into the garden. Draco took the empty seat at the end of the table between Tonks and Charlie. 

Conversation slowly picked up again as Draco plated some dinner, soon it was time for cake. 

With the help of Mrs. Weasley’s wand a large white cake with a roaring lion on it and the words Happy Birthday Harry written in red and gold lettering floated in.

With candles lit the table sang out a rendition of “Happy Birthday” and with a cheer, Harry blew out the candles. 

\-------------------------------------------

"Ginny mail for you!" Ron yelled bounding up the stairs a few mornings later.

"Give it." Ginny said snatching the envelope from Ron.

The door to Draco's door opened on the landing below "Will you two shut it? Some of us like to sleep in the morning!" He yelled.

"Come off it you prick it's ten." Ron called behind him on his way back down the stairs to the living room. Ginny unfolded the letter and read it.

Ginny,  
I had such a good time on Holiday and I can't wait to tell you about it. I'm going to be in Diagon Alley next Monday tell me you'll meet me there. I've missed you so much.  
Love,  
Dean

"Who's that from?" Draco said suddenly right behind her.

She jumped "Merlin you scared me. It's just from Dean, my boyfriend." She said emphasizing the word boyfriend.

"I never heard you had a boyfriend." He snapped

"Well we got together at the end of last term and he's been abroad all summer. I guess I just, um..." She bit her lip "forgot."

Draco let out a laugh. "You forgot you had a boyfriend?!" Ginny looked down at her feet blushing. 

"Really, how do you do that?" He laughed some more.

"I remember now." Ginny said sheepishly

"Let me guess, it happened so fast and you're only now able to fully process it." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"So are you going to see him then?" He said once he finally calmed down.

She caught his grey eyes hers full of fire "Yes, next Monday."

"Make sure to tell him about how you haven't stopped thinking about him."

"Thanks for the advice," She called walking down stairs to get some breakfast. Draco went back to laughing and could be heard all the way down the stairs. Ginny smiled despite herself and put the letter in her pocket for safekeeping.

Draco went back to his room, a smile still on his face. He couldn’t imagine how boring Thomas must be if his own girlfriend can forget about him for a month. He couldn’t wait to laugh about it with Blaise until he remembered. He couldn’t write to Blaise, he couldn’t talk to Blaise. It would be the first summer since they met during first year that they hadn’t spent the summer at his Mother’s beach house in France.

Ever since that first night there had been a feeling of finality coming over him. He couldn’t go back to his old life. His friends wouldn’t understand, he couldn’t talk about what was going on in his life with them thanks to Dumbledore and his unbreakable vow. He hadn’t heard from his mother in the week that he’d been gone and he tried to shake his worry from his mind. Surely if something happened to someone as important as Narcissa Malfoy it would be on the front page of the Prophet. Wouldn’t it?

He still didn’t know exactly what Dumbledore wanted from him. If it was spying on his family or the death eaters he wouldn’t, couldn’t do it, or could he? It’s not like he had much of a choice in the matter. 

The meeting that night, his first meeting, was difficult. He felt the tension in the air and could tell that everyone was saying the minimum needed to get the information needed across. He heard so many acronyms and names of people that it made his head spin. 

The meeting ended and the order members dispersed. 

“Mr. Malfoy, a word.” Dumbledore said.

Draco sat back down on the couch across from the armchair where Dumbledore sat. 

“What I need you to do may seem inconsequential but very necessary for the promotion of the Order.”

“Alright, what is it?” Draco asked a little warry. 

“I need you to obtain your father’s diary.”

“His diary?”

“As I’m sure you know Malfoys keep detailed accounts of their lives for prosperity.” Draco nodded.

“I know that, but I don’t see how that can help the order. Father hasn’t written in it since the beginning of the summer. Even so I’m sure he didn’t keep anything sensitive in it, for this very reason.”

“I happen to know that your father has protected his diary with a blood charm so only those with Malfoy blood can open it. It may contain nothing at first but if it holds what I think it might, then this could change the tide of the war.”

Draco nodded. He was sure that his father wasn’t stupid enough to keep any of the Dark Lord’s secrets in his diary so there wasn’t much for him to worry about. “Alright, when do we leave?”

\-----------------------------------

"Mum I'm going to Diagon Alley today." Ginny mentioned to her mother casually over toast and jam at the breakfast table. She must have momentarily forgotten who her mother was because she obviously didn't realize that a simple trip to Diagon Alley to see her boyfriend wasn't going to be that easy. 

"Oh? And why is that?" Her mother looked at her like she just announced that she wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts.

"I'm going to meet Dean Thomas." She took another bite of her toast.

"Is that so…"

"Mum you remember Dean he's in Ron's year in Gryffindor."

"Well if he is Ron's friend then, why doesn't Ron go with you?"

"Mum, I don't need a babysitter."

"I never said anything about a babysitter, Ginny; if Ron and Harry are friends with Dean as well I don't see why they can't join you."

"It's because she's going on a date." Ron mumbled with her mouth full.

"Oh a date." Mrs. Weasley's widened her eyes, and Draco looked up realizing this conversation was about to get interesting. "Since when do you have a boyfriend? You know you're supposed to tell your father and I about these things."

"I was going to, it just sort of happened." Ginny stumbled out trying in vain to save herself.

"She means sort of happened a month ago." Added Ron. Ginny kicked him under the table which caused him to sputter out some of the juice he'd been sipping.

"So can I go?"

"I'll have to discuss this with your father."

"But I sort of told him I'd be there in about an hour." Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrow accusingly. "I'll be safe. Dean will be there, and Fred and George will be right down the street." She gave her mum her best pleading look but after 15 years Mrs. Weasley had become immune.

"If Ron accompanies you, you can go." Ginny was about to open her mouth in protest but she realized this was the best she was going to get.

"What if Draco goes with me." Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing. She knew it was a risky move but she figured that if Draco went he wouldn't want to be seen with her or Dean so he'd leave them alone.

"Absolutely not!" Mrs. Weasley raised her voice. "Draco needs to be kept hidden, if anyone sees you two together it won't take long for his whereabouts to be exposed." Mrs. Weasley didn't add the part about how she didn't trust Draco Malfoy with a tadpole let alone her only daughter.

"Fine." Ginny crossed her arms and slouched into her chair. She continued eating but this wasn't over.

An hour later Ginny peered her head into the living room finding it empty, she walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder from the jar nearby. She stepped into the fireplace and was about to say the name of her destination when she heard a voice.

"What do you think you're doing?" said Draco leaning against the doorway to the kitchen.

Ginny glared at him. "I'm going to Diagon Alley."

"I see." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, how long have you been standing there?"

"Oh probably about as long as you've been in here. I had a feeling you were going to try something like this since breakfast."

She walked out of the fireplace and put the floo powder back into the jar. "Is that so?"

"Weasley, you have all the subtlety of an Irish Setter." He said walking over to her.

"That's oddly specific."

He nodded. "It's the red hair." He reached his hand up like he was going to touch it but put it back down.

"I see, so are you going to go turn me into mum." She said catching the glint of mirth in his silver eyes.

He shook his head. "If you're going to break out of jail you're taking me with you." He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stood in the fireplace. "Diagon Alley." He said dropping the powder and in a flash he was gone.

Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed her own handful. "Diagon Alley." She said and she too was gone.

On the other side Draco had taken up residence against a brick wall waiting for Ginny.

"Let me guess, this is the part where you give us the slip and run back home." She said brushing the soot off her pants.

"As appealing as that sounds." He said sarcastically remembering the cold dreary life he had back at Malfoy Manor. "I'll have to decline." He got up and walked down the alley. "Meet back here in about two hours?"

"What are you going to do for two hours?" Ginny asked.

"I'll find something." He called after her. Ginny rolled her eyes and followed him out of the alley.

About 45 minutes into their date Ginny remembered why she forgot she was dating Dean Thomas. She knew it had been about 45 minutes because she had been counting since they sat down at an overly frilly tea room Ginny wasn’t interested enough to remember the name of, and he started to regale her of stories he found out about muggle history while touring various sights.

"At Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania they talked about how the confederate troops…" Ginny nodded along. Pennsylvania, that was somewhere in the East, and the confederates were in the civil war which was about two hundred years ago, give and take a hundred she thought See, I paid attention in muggle studies. Behind Dean's head she saw Draco walk by, with a pretty girl Ginny thought was in Slytherin on his arm. 

"Ginny, is something wrong?" Dean asked, noticing that she was no longer paying attention to him. He turned around and saw Draco being seated by a waiter. "Ugh, Malfoy's here." He said then turned back to Ginny. "As I was saying The President lives in this house in a separate state that somehow isn't a state on Pennsylvania Avenue…" That's funny Ginny laughed inwardly, Pennsylvania Avenue isn't in Pennsylvania.

Although she did her best to keep her attention on Dean she couldn't help but watch Draco with his date. They were obviously having a better time than Ginny was, the girl seemed to be hanging on every word Draco said. She felt guilty for a moment, Dean was a very nice young man, and handsome, he couldn't help it if he was boring.

A few minutes later Draco's date got up to use the loo. "Dean, if you will excuse me for a moment. I need to use the loo." He nodded and she got up.

"Save me." Ginny said, sliding into the seat across from Draco.

"Why? You're on a date it would be rude." He said watching the door to the restroom. He turned his head to look at her pleading expression. "What's wrong?" His eyes suddenly full of concern.

"Nothing, he's just. Well he's boring."

Draco laughed "Thomas's witch pleasing skills not up to par?"

"Please just say something and tell me I have to go. Dean knows you're staying with us." Draco raised an eyebrow "I had to tell him, he asked me what was new and I couldn't lie." His eyebrow lifted higher. "I'm not a Slytherin, I'm not good at lying."

"Ask for the check and be on your way. That's what normal people do on lousy dates." Draco started to bounce his knee nervously. She understood why, if that girl came back and she was sitting in her seat there was bound to be a scene.

"I can't do that, he's my boyfriend."

"Then break up with him."

"Draco…" She gave him her best pleading look.

"Good luck Weasley." He waved her off. She groaned and slunk off the seat.

Ginny gave herself a moment to compose herself and sat back down with Dean. She took a deep breath and looked at the clock on the door. "Oh look at the time, I must be going?"

"Already? It feels as if we just sat down." Dean said the look he gave her was a little sad.

"Oh, well, as the muggles say-" Dean laughed. "Time does fly when one is having fun." He lit up like a tree at Christmas.

"Are you sure you can't stay longer?"

"Ah, mum is probably waiting for me. She'd hate both of us if we were out too late." That part wasn't entirely a lie. Dean nodded and asked for the check. The two walked out of the restaurant hand in hand but not before Ginny gave Draco a withering look. Dean gave her a light kiss that was soft and pleasant, just like him, and the two went their separate ways.

Ginny sat on the ground in the alleyway that Draco and Ginny had arrived at while people came and went. They asked her if she was ok and gave her a small smile when she said she was waiting for someone.

"There you are." She said when Draco finally arrived.

"You were waiting here this whole time?" he asked, helping her up.

"I couldn't go walk around Diagon Alley and run into Dean again." She brushed the dust off herself.

"You could have gone home."

"Home, that's something I want to put off as much as possible. You're about to feel the full wrath of Molly Weasley." She grabbed the bit of floo powder in the vial she kept in her pocket. He did the same.

"I'm sure, I'm properly prepared." He dropped the floo powder into the fireplace. "The Burrow."

He was not prepared.

When Draco had always been able to gage the anger his parents had for him by how calmly they spoke when he had done some sort of misbehavior. The calmer the more terrifying. Molly Weasley on the other hand had a very different approach.

Ginny materialized behind him a moment later, her body pushing him out of the fireplace. She took one look at her mother's face and knew she had never been in more trouble. She instinctively tried to hide behind Draco but it was no use.

It wasn't supposed to be possible for a witch to literally turn themselves into fire but somehow Molly Weasley had managed it. Her flaming hair stood up and looked like it was actual flames while her brown eyes stared at him with passion so fiery Draco felt it literally burn to look at. When she finally spoke the house shook with her booming voice that seemed difficult for the short pump woman to produce.

"What on Earth do you think you are doing?!" Each word sounded like its own sentence as she tried to compose herself enough to speak.

"Mum, please don't be too angry." Ginny said, the look Molly gave her caused the young woman to squeal and hide back behind Draco.

"Oh I'm angry. You two think that you can just take off after I specifically told you not to." Her words dripping with venom. "And you." She stuck her wand at Draco's chest causing him to flinch. "I welcome you into my home and in only a few weeks you're encouraging my daughter to disobey me."

"I'm sorry mam." He said.

"Oh you better be sorry, both of you." They lowered their heads. "Now I want the two of you to go upstairs and stay out of my sight until dinner. Then you are going to come, eat up, and go to bed early because you're going to need your strength when you clean this house and the grounds top to bottom." They nodded.

"Ginny you are grounded until the start of term, no outings, no letters, nothing. I would do the same to you Draco but you are already barred from contact outside of The Order from Dumbledore. Now I'm going to allow you this one time in an assumption that you made a momentary lapse of judgment but if I find out you have been sharing your ware bouts with anyone you're gone. Understand?"

"Yes mam." They said in unison.

"Alright now go." The two hurried out of the room and up the stairs.

When they reached Draco's room Ginny walked in and pulled Draco inside closing the door behind him. They stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Merlin, that was terrifying." Ginny leaned against the door for support.

"I can see why your whole family is in Gryffindor." He sat on the bed to catch his breath and Ginny sat down beside him.

"So how was your date?" She asked after the laughter had died down.

"It went well."

"Can you expect more in the future."

"Most likely, although with us being on lockdown here I'm not entirely sure that will happen. I'll make it up to her when we get back to Hogwarts." The two locked eyes and Ginny tore herself away and looked down. Tension suddenly permeated the air when the two suddenly remembered for the first time that day that they weren't friends.

"I'll, um, see you at dinner." She got up and Draco followed her to the door.

"Yeah, see you." He said closing the door behind her. He sat on the bed and wondered how he could have forgotten. No matter how messed up his life seemed, Malfoys and Weasley were not friends. No matter how glossy her red hair was or how much her eyes reminded him of butterscotch, Malfoys didn't find Weasleys attractive.  
\----------------------------------------------

That night after an Order meeting Draco was surprised to find a complete blueprint of the manor on the Weasley’s dining room table. “Where did you get that?” He asked. Bill Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks, who were standing around the table popped their head up. Draco walked over to join them and Tonks and Bill reluctantly moved aside to let him in. Despite Draco being an important piece in this planning process for the heist it was still hard for them to let him in on the Order’s secret plans. 

“Dumbledore brought it by the meeting.” Tonks said. 

He stared at the layout for a long time. He noticed right off the bat there were some problems. First of all his parent’s bedroom moved from the east wing to the west wing, shortly after his father was arrested so she could “redecorate” leaving the east wing open. It was also missing the secret passages to the nearby town. He looked up from the blueprint and looked at the people standing around them in the dim light. Could he really trust these people with the secrets of Malfoy Manor? 

“I will help you break in but you have to trust me and do what I say and go where I tell you.” 

Bill shook his head “Just tell us where we need to go and we’ll get to the diary and bring it back. It will be a simple in and out job.” 

“That’s not going to happen.” Draco said. “First of all, I’m not telling you how to break into the manor not just because I don’t want to but because I can’t. There’s a charm on all of the entrances to the manor, even the secret ones. You can only get in if a Malfoy invites you. If I’m not there I can’t invite you and you’ll just set off the alarm and get yourselves killed.”

“So you suggest we go in blindly so you and your friends can attack us.”

“I’m not suggesting anything. I’m saying that I’ll go with you and invite you in so you can get into the bloody house. But if you’d rather not risk it I’m sure you can just pass through a ward with enough bravery and toil.” He walked towards the stairs. If they didn’t want his help then they could plan their bloody break-in on their own and get killed all for a stupid diary that won’t tell them anything anyways. 

“Draco wait.” Tonks said. 

He turned. 

“You’re right. It would be stupid to think we could get into one of the most secure houses in England undetected when we have you right here to help us.” She looked at Lupin and Bill, “Remus, Bill, and I could use all the help we can get.” The two men looked unconvinced but Draco walked slowly back to the table. 

After a long silence Bill said. “Alright Malfoy, what do you think we should do.”

“Well first of all these blueprints are completely out of date. Mother moved her bedroom to the other side of the house, which leaves these rooms.” He pointed at the east wing. “Empty. My room is over next to the library. Which is no longer here.” He pointed at a small room on the bottom floor. “But over here.” He pointed to a larger room on the second story next to the drawing room. 

“Do you have something better to show us?” 

“Do you keep blueprints of your house in your pocket Weasley?” 

Bill shook his head in agitation and looked back at the blueprint. “There’s been a lot of changes recently, mother’s gone a little crazy since father went away so she’s been putting her energy into rearranging the house.” Draco sounded almost wistful. “Anyways, we should do this during the day.”

“You want us to break into a house in broad daylight?” Lupin asked. 

“Well the house elves are usually busy looking after mother, or cooking, and they patrol the empty wings of the house at night. So yes, broad daylight would be the ideal time.” 

They planned long into the night and by morning Draco felt like they might have a chance of pulling this off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my story and for the kudos. It means the world to me. I hope you liked this weeks chapter. Please let me know what you think. I am still looking for a beta so if you're interested let me know. 
> 
> Kisses,  
> Anna


	3. Chapter 3

It was Tuesday, a second Tuesday to be exact. Draco figured they would have no better opportunity to sneak into the manor than a second Tuesday. 

For nearly 100 years every second Tuesday of the month Witches and Wizards from around England would tour the manor for the afternoon. It gave the wizarding community a chance to see the artwork that the family had painstakingly accumulated over the centuries and a chance for the “lower” classes to see what pureblood might truly mean. While Draco found the whole thing ridiculous and a nuisance growing up, it was finally working to his advantage. 

Draco, Tonks, and Bill stopped about a half-mile down the road from the manor to drink some polyjuice potion. Draco tried to stop from crying out as he felt his body contort into its new form. He watched as Tonk’s hair turned a silvery grey, and her nose shifted to a large nose with a bulbous tip. Meanwhile Bill’s red hair changed to jet black and he grew significantly into a tall proud dark haired wizard. Just the type who looked more important that he was. Draco wondered where the hairs had come from but thought better of asking. 

When the three of them turned up to the front gate of Malfoy Manor he was alarmed to find the normal mill of people decreased to less than ten. It seemed that few witches and wizards wanted a tour of a known death eater’s house. 

About five minutes to 2pm the small crowd grew silent. Draco’s mother walked down the path with a small wizened house elf in tow. It pained Draco to see that she looked significantly thinner since the last time he’d seen her, and it looked as if a light had gone out of her eyes. 

“Welcome to our home,” Draco’s mother said. “Dimples will be showing you around the public areas this afternoon, I hope you enjoy looking at the various artifacts and artwork created by some of the best artists in the wizarding world.” The house elf with ears nearly as large as his body gave a low bow before Narcissa retreated into the house. 

“Please follow Dimples.” Dimples ears almost dragged on the ground as the proud little house elf followed his mistress.

Draco, Bill, and Tonks looked at each other before following the house elf through the large gate. The gate dematerialized as they walked through it allowing any guests invited in by a Malfoy to enter into the grounds. Draco felt an odd feeling of sadness as he walked past the familiar hedges into his family home. 

He had been worried that he might not have the strength to leave once he entered his childhood home, before walking into the grand entryway. Instead he felt an odd sense of disconnection with the space around him. Like this house and all the memories it held belonged to a different Draco than the one that stood in an unfamiliar body. 

The trio followed Dimples quietly through the house as he described each piece of artwork that adorned the walls and alcoves of the entry hall and the history that accompanied it. It was right before entering the north ballroom that they made their escape. They ducked into a service corridor hiden behind a tapestry. 

It was just in time too, as Draco felt his body return to its rightful state. 

“Alright, it looks like we have about five minutes to grab the diary and come back through this door before they leave the ballroom and Dimples notices that we’ve gone.” Draco whispered

“Won’t he realise that half the group is gone?” Bill asked.

“Doubtful, Dimples has his nose so high in the air that he sees little besides the ceiling.” Draco walked down the narrow hall between the walls, Bill and Tonks followed quietly behind.

The three ducked below support beams, crawled through tunnels, and reached an old wooden ladder. 

“Alright, the trap door at the top of this ladder should enter directly into my father’s study.” He began the ascent, concerned that the whole ladder might collapse below him. It was sinfully old and built with house elves in mind, rather than nearly grown men. 

Draco had nearly reached the top when, with a loud crack, the rung of the ladder gave way and Draco tumbled to the ground. He landed with a crash, and cried out, his ankle throbbing. 

Bill looked around in alarm hoping no one had heard Draco through the walls. 

“Can you stand?” He asked. He offered a hand and helped Draco up.

“I can manage.” Draco said through gritted teeth. With a quick spell Tonks was able to dull the pain to a bearable level. 

“Sorry, I don’t know many healing spells. Molly will be able to fix you right up.”

Draco muttered his thanks and went back to the ladder. They were running out of time, and Draco had to get that diary. 

“What are you doing, we don’t have enough time!” Bill whispered harshly. 

“I have to do this.” Draco replied, slowly making his way back up the ladder. Tonk’s spell was enough to allow Draco to put weight on his hurt ankle and make it up the ladder. With one last heave, he was able to open the trap door and make it into the study. 

He winced as he heard the ladder fully collapse behind him. “Take some more potion and get back to the group. I’ll meet you along the way.”

“What about you? You still look like Draco.” Tonks said. 

Draco rolled his eyes. “I’ll manage, I know every nook and cranny of this manor. Now don’t get us caught.”

He didn’t wait to hear a response or hear them leave. He went to work looking for his father’s diary. Lucius Malfoy’s study was a large room lined with bookshelves containing books of every subject from magical history to herbology to dark arts books with false covers. In the center of the room was a large dark oak desk that had been in the Malfoy family for centuries. The desk was completely clean on top. Draco’s father never left sentimental items lying around such as family photographs or letters.

He walked over to his father’s desk and began opening drawers. When the diary wasn’t in the place he thought it would behe began frantically looking through book shelves and cabinets, careful not to leave anything disturbed. 

Lucius Malfoy was a smart man and Draco knew this wouldn’t be easy. Feeling time pressing down on him, Draco began rifling through papers and desk drawers until finally he found a small knob on the bottom of the center drawer of the desk. Turning it, a compartment dropped down and out fell an old journal. Barely stopping to look at it,Draco took the book and ran. He knew it had to be the diary, why else would it have been kept in such a secret place? 

There wasn’t time to clean the room so he had no choice but to leave study as is. If his mother or a house elf saw it, they would know something was amiss immediately. He made sure to close the trap door and cracked open the main door out into the hall. Peeking out, he saw a house elf walking the opposite way he needed to go. He quickly opened the door and snuck out but winced as the door clicked shut behind him. The little elf in a ragged dress stared at him, eyes wide.

Draco put his finger to his lips before she could sound the alarm. “Daisy, I am your master and I command you to stay quiet and to tell no one, including my mother, that you saw me.” 

Daisy slowly nodded. “Daisy will do as Master Malfoy asks.” She continued down the hall as if nothing had happened.

Draco let out the breath he was holding in and quickly hobbled his way through the corridors unseen and back down to the main entryway where the tour would be coming to a close at any moment.  
He slipped behind a statue to wait for Bill and Tonks. As the group filtered back into the entryway, Bill stopped in front of the statue. Draco hissed to get his attention.. 

Bill raised his eyebrows at Draco and slipped a small vial of polyjuice potion into Draco’s open palm. Draco downed the potion and immediately felt the effect take place. After a moment to be sure the change was complete, he limped out from behind the statue and took his place next to Tonks. 

“That concludes our tour of Malfoy Manor.” Dimples said, giving a great bow. Draco, Bill and Tonks followed the rest of the tour group down the path to the apparition point.

“Bill, we need to leave now.” Draco snapped.

“Alright?” Said Tonks as Draco grabbed her and Bill’s hands and dashed down the apparition point, Bill’s hair becoming redder by the second. One of the other tour goers, an old batty old lady shouted in alarm and rapped Draco’s bad ankle with her cane while he dashed past. 

Bill grabbed Draco and Tonks and disapparated the second they were able, appearing outside of the Burrow. 

Landing with a thud, Draco crumpled to the ground outside of the Burrow, the effects of Tonk’s spell wearing off completely. 

Mrs. Weasley ran from the house waving her arms. “My dears what happened?” She embraced her son and bent down to her knees to reach Draco. 

“May I?” She asked and waited until Draco nodded before placing a hand on his swollen ankle. 

“How ever did this happen?” She asked, looking at Bill and Tonks suspiciously. 

“I fell from a ladder ma’am.” 

Mrs. Weasley tutted as she took out her wand. “Thankfully raising six boys has taught me how to mend bones in a heartbeat.” She pointed her wand at Draco’s ankle. “Episkey.” Draco groaned as his ankle bone snapped back into place and mended. “It’ll be sore for a few days, but after that it’ll be good as new.” 

Bill helped Draco stand and Draco winced, putting some weight on his injured leg. The four walked back into the house.

Dumbledore sat in an armchair next to the fireplace. He looked somehow too large to be in such a small space. It was still a shock for Draco to see the headmaster outside of school. 

“Did you bring it?” Lupin asked. Draco held up the battered diary and Lupin got up from his seat across the room to inspect it.

Draco left him to it and walked into the kitchen. 

“How did it go?” Ginny asked quietly. She was scared that if any of the adults saw her lingering they would shoo her upstairs. 

He shrugged off her question and grabbed a clean knife from a drawer before returning to the living room. Ginny gasped as he limped from the room. 

“There’s nothing in here.” Remus flipped through the seemingly blank pages of the diary. 

Draco snatched it from his former professor. “You don’t think he wouldn’t have put some sort of spell on it to keep the information inside from getting into the wrong hands, do you?” He grumbled.

Tonks put a hand on Remus’s arm to stop him after seeing that Draco had a rather sharp knife in his hand. 

“My father would have made it so only someone of his own blood could access the contents of the diary.” He winced as he sliced the tip of his index finger. “Only someone with Malfoy blood can read the diary. That’s exactly why you sent me to get it. Isn’t it professor?” He gave Dumbledore a knowing look. The professor nodded as Draco drew his index finger down the spine of the book. Almost immediately words began populating the page of the dairy. He tossed the book back to Lupin. 

“Now unless you have any more suicide missions for me, I’m going to go to my room.” He stomped up the stairs and slammed the door behind him. 

Ginny counted all the way to 15 before she dashed up the back staircase.

She took a deep breath and knocked. “Go away Weasley.” he barked. 

“How did you know it was me?”

“No one else knocks as annoyingly.” He grumbled as he opened the door. She walked quickly into the room and he closed the door behind her. 

She leaned against the desk and took in the room. In so many ways it was like Percy’s room still. Not a speck of dust out of place, yet it was Draco’s clothes hung in the wardrobe and his book on the desk and the room was filled with a scent that she had learned to identify exclusively with Draco. 

“What happened to your foot?” She asked, trying to break the silence. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, then how did the mission go.”

“You saw, we got the diary.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Alright.”

“What did you do today?” Draco countered.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She smirked and they both fell into a fit of nervous laughter. Since that day at Diagon Alley a comfortable familiarity had fallen between them. Ginny wouldn’t refer to it quite as friendship, maybe friendly companionship?

“Do you really want to know what I did today?” She asked.

“Sure.” 

“I watched my mum pace back and forth through the living room. I’m surprised there’s not a path worn into the carpet.”

“She was really worried about your brother then.”

“And Tonks…” She paused. “And you too.” He raised an eyebrow. “They like you Draco, or at least mum does, and Tonks. And Bill too, after today.” 

Draco let the heaviness of her words fall over him. A month ago they all wanted him dead, and today, they were worried about his safety.

“I’m not sure what you did, but you earned major points from Bill today, Lupin too.” He nodded. “Draco?”

“Yeah?”

“I know you probably still hate us deep down, but please, don’t blow it.”

“I don’t…” What was he about to say? That he didn’t hate them, that he never really honestly, deep down, hated them?

Ginny shook her head. “Anyway, I know you’ve had a long day. So I’ll let you sleep.” She hopped off the desk and put on a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “After all, we’ve still got a list of chores to do.” With that she left him alone with his thoughts. 

\-----------------------------------

After almost a week of near constant chores Ginny found herself at the final room in the house she hadn't cleaned. That one she had been putting off in the hope that it would somehow magically go away. Ron's room.

"So what's next?" Draco asked. He was holding a bucket of soapy water and a mop while Ginny held a broom and basket full of various cleaning supplies.

Ginny consulted the list her mum had given her in the week before. "Just one more, we have to clean Ron's room." Draco sighed and followed her up the stairs. When they got to the top with only a ladder left leading to Ron's room Draco stopped.

"So up to the attic we go then?" He asked.

"The attic is where the Ghoul lives." Ginny replied, starting up the ladder.

"That's not a very nice thing to call your brother." Draco replied. Ginny laughed and pushed open the trapdoor at the top of the ladder and stopped.

Before Ron had Harry as a best friend Ginny considered Ron to be her best friend and most constant playmate. It had been years since they had been that close but in the moment Ginny remembered why she had considered Ron among her favorite brothers. The room which normally looked and smelled like a dung bomb went off was nearly spotless. All the clothing was picked up off the floor, the beds were made, the floorboards looked washed and shined, the windows were clean, the cobwebs were knocked off the exposed beams. Ginny sighed and turned around.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

Ginny blinked back tears. "It's clean, Ron cleaned his room. I don't think he's ever cleaned it before."

"So we're done?" He asked

Ginny nodded. "Yes, it looks like we're done." She turned back around and continued up the ladder.

"Then why are we going up there?"

"For a Slytherin you're not very perceptive. If we go down now Mum will find out we didn't clean Ron's room and give us some other task."

He nodded and followed her up. She set the cleaning supplies down and flopped down on Ron's bed, lying on her back with a sigh. Draco sat on Harry's.

"So I haven't heard anything about this mystery girl except that you had a nice date with her." She picked up a replica of a golden snitch and tossed it up in the air and caught it absentmindedly. 

Throughout the week Draco and Ginny had talked about nearly everything, school, quidditch, music, but nothing personal.

"What would you like to know?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Like her name for starters." She tossed him the snitch and he caught it.

"Greengrass…" he searched for the name. "Astoria? No, that's the younger one. Daphne, that's the one." He tossed the snitch back to Ginny.

"You didn't remember her name?" She threw it back, this time with more force.

He caught it again, the metal stinging where it hit his palm. "I remembered her name fine. I'm very good with names." The snitch went back to Ginny.

"Ok then, Mr. Good-with-names, what's mine?" She tossed it back.

"I know this one, it's Gin… Genevieve." He tossed the snitch back.

She shook her head. "Guess again." He raised his arm to catch the snitch but she didn't throw it. "Nope, you don't get it until you answer the question right."

"Uh, Virginia." She made a face like he’d insulted her. "Ginnifer." She shook her head again. He paused for a long time, thinking it over.

"Give up?"

After a few more moments he sighed. "I guess so."

"It's Ginevra." He raised an eyebrow. "My mum read it in a book somewhere. There are worse names." She tossed him the snitch and Draco was so lost in thought he almost didn't catch it.

"I didn't say it was bad, just unexpected. It's lovely."

"Really?" She asked

"You don't think so?"

"I’ve never really liked it." She had never talked about this to anyone before. "It never felt like it suited me."

"What name do you think suits you then?" She sat up and didn't recognize the look of intent in his eyes.

"I've never really thought about it." She looked down at the floor and then looked back up. "Ginny I guess."

He nodded.

"What about you?"

"What?" He said, it came out a bit more harshly than he expected. At the beginning of his time at the burrow he had been surprised at any softness that came out of him in regards to her, now in just a few short weeks it was the opposite.

"Do you like your name?"

He paused for a moment, puzzled by why she would ask him that. "I never really thought about it, I guess I do. It's tradition for the members of my mother's side of the family to be named after constellations." It felt odd, talking about his family. He used to be proud to be a Malfoy, and that he came from The Great and Noble House of Black, but now it seemed empty. It was as if he no longer felt a connection to them.

"You wouldn't rather be called Drake then?" She said "Drake" in a mocking tone, remembering how Pansy used to call him that while following him around the castle.

Draco groaned. "Oh Merlin, please don't." He threw the snitch at Ginny and she placed it back on her brother's nightstand.

Ginny stood up from the bed and walked over to the trap door that hid the ladder to the rest of the house. "Where are you going?" he asked more to keep the conversation going than anything.

"To go tell everyone about your new nickname." She said, not bothering to turn around in her descent. Draco made a face that she didn't see. "Actually, I'm going to put these things back in the closet, and then I'm going to lie on my bed and do absolutely nothing productive for the rest of the day." She hit the floor of the landing with a hop. He followed shortly after.

The two reached the closet by the kitchen where they deposited their cleaning supplies. "All done you two?" Molly Weasley asked from her chair in the living room, her knitting needles creating a sweater of their own accord next to her while she read the latest issue of A Witch's Home.

"Yes, every room clean, every chore completed." Ginny said with a sigh.

Molly smiled. "Very good."

And with that, the three went their separate ways.

\-----------------------------------------------------

It was the last day of summer when Draco was called into his next Order meeting. 

“Malfoy.” Bill said after knocking on his door. “Dumbledore would like to see you.”

Ginny jumped up from her place on the floor and Draco dropped the book he was reading. Thankfully Bill didn’t wait to see if Draco was following, He put a finger to his lips and let Ginny out of the door behind him before closing the door. He motioned for Ginny to follow and walked heavier than necessary so as to mask Ginny’s footsteps as they walked down the main staircase.

Ginny stopped on the second floor landing and leaned against the wall. She knew exactly which step she could stand on to avoid being seen and be able to hear every word that was said in the living room. 

Draco shook Dumbledore and Lupin’s hands before realizing that Severus Snape sat in the shadows of the room. He looked at Dumbledore in surprise. What was the Dark Lord’s most trusted follower doing at an Order meeting?

“Mr. Malfoy, I know you know Severus from a very different circumstance.” Draco nodded. This still didn’t answer Draco’s questions. 

“Severus has been working for me as a double agent to send me information about Voldemort and his followers.” Draco gave Snape a questioning look. Draco thought Snape was supposed to be spying on the Order for the Dark Lord. Draco didn’t know that Snape’s infiltration had gone so far. His father always said that Dumbledore was a halfwit, guess he was right. 

“Severus will be looking after you and taking you to King's Cross Station tomorrow morning.” 

“What?” Draco’s heart began pounding faster by the minute. How could Dumbledore be so stupid? Snape wasn’t going to take Draco to the train, he was going to take him straight to the Dark Lord. If the Dark Lord didn’t kill him on the spot for running away, he would torture information out of Draco which might as well kill him. He never should have made that unbreakable vow.

“It’s not safe for you to be traveling out with the Weasley family or other members of the Order. I understand your reluctance, but I assure you. Severus has spoken with your mother and she approves of the plan.” Snape nodded encouragingly. 

Of course his mother approved of the plan to bring him home so the Dark Lord could finish him, he was as good as disowned. Especially after the stunt with the diary. Seeing no other option, Draco did the only thing he could think of. He bolted out of the living room and through the door. He had no money, no wand, no belongings but he couldn’t stay in that house for one more moment. Not if he were to live through the night. 

He ran, he ran until his lungs burned and his legs went numb, his injured ankle throbbing with every step. There was a loud crack and Draco was suddenly brought to a halt. 

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?!” Snape said with the disdain he usually saved for members of Gryffindor House. Draco took off again and only made it a few more feet before a hex brought him down. He looked at his legs and saw they were bound. 

Snape, on the other hand, walked at a dignified pace, his cloak billowing in the evening wind. “I didn’t make an unbreakable vow with your mother to protect you so you could get yourself killed.”

“You what?”

Snape took a small vial from his pocket and downed the contents in one sip. He tossed the bottle to Draco who caught it easily. “It’s veritasium.” Snape’s voice seemed a little strained as the potion took effect. “Ask me any question and I will have to answer it truthfully.”

Draco looked over the vial carefully. “Quickly now, the dose will not last long.”

“Where is my mother?”

“Safe, at home. The Dark Lord is convinced she did not know what you were planning, and after completing a series of tasks, she has proven her loyalty and has been allowed her to keep her life.” Draco winced. He didn’t want to know what those tasks entailed. 

“Whose side are you on?” He asked.

“My own. However, that happens to support Dumbledore at this time.” Draco was quiet as he contemplated Snape’s words. 

“Are you going to take me to the Dark Lord?” 

“No. As Dumbledore said, you will be staying at my home for the night and I will take you to King’s Cross in the morning.”

“Satisfied?” 

Draco nodded. 

Snape unbound Draco’s legs and held out his arm so they could disapparate together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kudos, comments, and bookmarks. I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story. This weeks chapter was a little late since I now have a beta! I hope to be back to my normal schedule next week. 
> 
> See you next week!  
> Anna


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